Chapter [Sarga] 77

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 77

Introduction

On the twelfth day of the death of Dasaratha, Bharata gives various presents to Brahmans. On the thirteenth day when Bharata and Shatrughna go to the cremation ground to collect the bones both of them are overwhelmed with grief and fall down on the ground. Vasista, the family priest and Sumantra raise them up and pacifying urge both of them to complete the remaining rites to be performed on the thirteenth day.

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tataH dasha ahe atigate kR^ita shauco nR^ipa aatmajaH |
dvaadashe ahani sampraapte shraaddha karmaaNi akaarayat || 2-77-1

1. tataH= thereafter; atigate= having passed; dashaahe=the tenth day; kR^ita nR^paatmajaH shouchaH= Bharata, who performed purification; akaarayat= got done; shraaddha karmaaNi= Shraddha* rites; sampaapte= on the arrival of; dvaadase= twelfth; ahani= day.

After having passed the tenth day of the death of Dasaratha, Bharata having himself purified, performed Shraddha* rites on the arrival of the twelfth day.

* Shraddha rites are in the honor and for the benefit of dead relatives observed with great strictness at various fixed periods and on the occasion of rejoicing as well as mourning by the surviving relatives. These are performed by the daily offering of water and on the stated occasion by the offering of Pindas or balls of rice and meal to three paternal forefathers i.e. Father, grandfather, and great grandfather. It is an act of reverential homage to a deceased person performed by relatives, most desirably by a son of the deceased.

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braahmaNebhyo dadau ratnam dhanam annam ca puSkalam |
vaasaamsi ca mahaarhaaNi ratnaani vividhaani ca || 2-77-2

2. (Bharata) dadou=gave; ratnam= precious stones; dhanam= money; pushhkalam= a lot of; annam= cooked rice; mahaarhaaNi= very valuable; vaasaamsi= clothes; vividhaani= various kinds of ; ratnaani= presents; braahmaNebhyaH= to brahmans.

On the occasion of Shraddha rites, Bharata gave precious stones, money, a lot of cooked rice, very valuable clothes and various other kinds of presents to Brahmans.

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baastikam bahu shuklam ca gaaH ca api shatashaH tathaa |
daasii daasam ca yaanam ca veshmaani sumahaanti ca || 2-77-3
braahmaNebhyo dadau putraH raaj~naH tasya aurdhvadaihikam |

3. tasya= in that; ourdhvadehikam= ceremony performed in honor of the dead; raajN^aH= king; putraH= Bharata the son of Dasaratha; dadou= gave; bahu= many; shuklam= white; baastikam= multitudes of goats; tathaa= and; shatashaH= hundreds of ; gaashchaapi= cows; daasii daasamcha= servants and servant maids; yaanaamcha= vehicles; sumahaanti= and very big; veshmaanicha= houses; braahmaNebhyaH= to brahmans.

In that ceremony performed in honor of the dead king, Bharata the son of Dasaratha gave multitudes of white goats, hundreds of cows, servants and servant maids, vehicles and very big houses to Brahmans.

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tataH prabhaata samaye divase atha trayodashe || 2-77-4
vilalaapa mahaa baahur bharataH shoka muurchitaH |
shabda apihita kaNThaH ca shodhana artham upaagataH || 2-77-5
citaa muule pitur vaakyam idam aaha suduhkhitaH |

4, 5. tataH= then; prabhaata samaye= at the time of dawn; trayodashe= on the thirteenth; divase= day; mahaabaahuH= the mighty armed; bharataH= Bharata; upaagataH= who came; shodanaartham= for clearing up bones and ashes; atha= thereafter; vilalaapa= wept; shokamuurchhitaH= stunned by grief; shabdaapihitakaN^ThaH= his throat being choked; aha= spoke; idam vaakyam= these words; suduHkhitah= greatly distressed as he was; chitaamuule= having reached the foot of his father’s funeral pile (to collect the bones and ashes for their immersion in the holy Sarayu river.)

Then, at the time of dawn on the thirteenth day, the mighty armed Bharata who came for clearing up bones and ashes, wept in grief, his throat being choked of sound (because of crying) and spoke in great distress the following words, having reached the foot of his father’s funeral pile (to collect the bones and ashes for their immersion in Sarayu River).

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taata yasmin niSR^iSTaH aham tvayaa bhraatari raaghave || 2-77-6
tasmin vanam pravrajite shuunye tyaktaH asmy aham tvayaa |

6. taata= O, father! Yasmin= to which; bhraatari= brother; raaghave= Rama; aham=I; nisR^ishhTaH= have been entrusted; tvayaa= by you; tasmin= that Rama; pravrajite= having gone to exile; vanam= forest; aham= I; asmi= became; tyaktaH= abandoned; shuunye= wholly alone; tvayaa= by you.

“O, father! My brother Rama to whose care I was entrusted by you, having gone on exile to the forest, I now become abandoned wholly alone, by you.”

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yathaa gatir anaathaayaaH putraH pravraajitaH vanam || 2-77-7
taam ambaam taata kausalyaam tyaktvaa tvam kva gataH nR^ipa |

7. nR^ipa= O, king!; taata= O, father! kva= where; gataH= where you have gone; tyaktvaa= leaving; kausalyaam= Kausalya; taam= such; ambaam= a mother; yasyaaH= whose; putraH= son; gatiH= the support; pravraajitah= has been sent away from home; vanam= the forest?

“O, king! O, father! Where have you gone, leaving Kausalya the mother whose son Rama, her support, has been sent away from home to the forest?”

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dR^iSTvaa bhasma aruNam tac ca dagdha asthi sthaana maNDalam || 2-77-8
pituH shariira nirvaaNam niSTanan viSasaada ha |

8. dR^ishhTvaa= seeing; tat= that; sthaanamaN^Dalam=spot of collection; bhasmaaruNam= which became reddish brown in colour because of ashes; dagdhaasthi= with bones consumed by fire; pituH= and his father’s; shariira nirvaaNam= body extinguished; saH= BharataH; vishhasaada= was depressed; nishhTanan= and began to cry loudly.

Seeing that spot of collection (of bones), which became reddish brown in colour because of ashes, with bones consumed by fire and his father’s body having extinguished, Bharata was depressed and began to cry loudly.

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sa tu dR^iSTvaa rudan diinaH papaata dharaNii tale || 2-77-9
utthaapyamaanaH shakrasya yantra dhvajaiva cyutaH |

9. diinaH= miserable as he was; dR^IshhTvaa= to see; (the spot); saH tu= that Bharata; papaata= fell; rudan= weeping; dharaNiitale= on the ground; yantradhvajaH iva= as a flagstaff fastened by any mechanical contrivance, chyutaH= would drop; utthaapyamaanaH= while being raised; shakrasya= in honor of Indra the god of celestials.

Miserable as he was to see the spot, Bharata fell weeping on the ground, as a flag staff fastened by any mechanical contrivance would drop down while being raised in honor of Indra the god of celestials.

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abhipetus tataH sarve tasya amaatyaaH shuci vratam || 2-77-10
anta kaale nipatitam yayaatim R^iSayo yathaa |

10. tataH= then; sarve= all; tasya amaatyaaH= his ministers; abhipetuH=quickly approached Bharata; shuchivratam= virtuous in conduct; R^ishhayo yathaa= as sages; (rushed to) nipatitam= the fallen; yayaatim= Yayati; antakaale= at the time of his death.

All his ministers hastily approached Bharata who was virtuous in conduct, as sages once rushed to the fallen Yayati at the time of his death.

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shatrughnaH ca api bharatam dR^iSTvaa shoka pariplutam || 2-77-11
visamj~no nyapatat bhuumau bhuumi paalam anusmaran |

11. dR^ishhTvaa= seeing; bharatam= Bharata; shatrughnashohaapi= Shatrughna also; shokapariplutaH= was overwhelmed with grief; anusmaran= and while recollecting; bhuumipaalam= the king; nyapatat= fell; bhuumou= on the ground; visamj^NaH= unconsciously.

Seeing Bharata, Shatrughna was also overwhelmed with grief and while recollecting the king, fell unconscious on the ground.

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unmattaiva nishcetaa vilalaapa suduhkhitaH || 2-77-12
smR^itvaa pitur guNa angaani tani taani tadaa tadaa |

12. smR^ityaa= Remembering of; taani taani= many; guNaaN^gaani= acts resulting from good qualities; pituH= of his father; tathaa tathaa= at different times; vilalaapa= he was lamenting wildly; (as follows) unmattaH= like one who has lost his wits; nishchetaaH= bewildered as he was; suduHkhitaH= and very much afflicted with grief.

Remembering the many gestures of his father resulting from his loving qualities made from time to time, Shatrughna was lamenting (as follows) like one who has lost his wits, bewildered as he was.

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mantharaa prabhavaH tiivraH kaikeyii graaha samkulaH || 2-77-13
vara daanamayo akSobhyo amajjayat shoka saagaraH |

13. (we were) amajjayat= immersed; shokasaagaraH= in an ocean of sorrow; tiivra= which was violent; akshhobhyaH= and appalling; mantharaaprabhavaH= invoked by Manthara; kaikeyii graahasamkulaH= in which Kaikeyi; in the form of a crocodile; varadaanamayaH= swam in its current the boons; (granted by my father in favor of Kaikeyi)

“We are immersed in a violent and appalling ocean of sorrow invoked by Mandhara, in which Kaikeyi in the form of a crocodile swam in its current the irrevocable boons granted to her by my father.”

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sukumaaram ca baalam ca satatam laalitam tvayaa || 2-77-14
kva taata bharatam hitvaa vilapantam gataH bhavaan |

14. taata= O, father! Kva= where; bhavaan gataH= have you gone; hitvaa= leaving; bharatam= Bharata; baalamcha= your boy; laalitam=caressed; satatam=always; tvayaa=by you; vilapantam=and lamenting.

“O, father! Where have you gone leaving the lamenting Bharata, your boy always being caressed by you.”

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nanu bhojyeSu paaneSu vastreSv aabharaNeSu ca || 2-77-15
pravaarayasi naH sarvaams tan naH ko adya kariSyati |

15. pravaarayasi nanu= you used to fulfill the wishes; maH savaan= of all of us; bhojyeshhu= in the matter of eatables; paaneshhu= drinks; vastreshhu= clothes; aabharaNeshhu cha= and jewels; kaH= who; anyaH= else; karishhyati= will do; tat= it; naH= for us?

“You used to fulfill the wishes of all of us, in the matter of eatables, drinks, clothes, and jewels. Who else will do it (now) for us.”

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avadaaraNa kaale tu pR^ithivii na avadiiryate || 2-77-16
vihiinaa yaa tvayaa raaj~naa dharmaj~nena mahaatmanaa |

16. pR^ithivii= that earth; yaa= which; vihiinaa= is deprived; tvayaa= of you; dharmajN^ena= who knew the righteousness; mahaatmanaa= a high soled man; raajN^aa= and a king; naavadiiryate= is not riven; avadiiraNakaale= even when it is time to be riven.

“That earth which is deprived of you, the high soled and righteous king, is not riven even when it is the time to be riven.”

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pitari svargam aapanne raame ca araNyam aashrite || 2-77-17
kim me jiivita saamarthyam pravekSyaami huta ashanam |

17. pitari= the father; aapanne= having obtained; svargam= heaven; raamecha= and Rama; aashrite= having taken refuge; araNyam= in a forest; kim= what is; jiivita saamarthyam= the significance of life; me= for me? pravekshhyaami= I shall enter; hutaashanam= a fire.

“The father having obtained heaven and Rama having taken refuge in a forest, what is the significance of life for me? I shall enter a fire.”

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hiino bhraatraa ca pitraa ca shuunyaam ikSvaaku paalitaam || 2-77-18
ayodhyaam na pravekSyaami pravekSyaami tapo vanam |

18. hiinaH= bereft of; bhraatraa= my brother; pitraacha= and father; na pravekshhyaami= I can not return to; shuunyaam= the deserted; ayodhaam= Ayodhya; ikshhvaakupaalitaam= where Ikshvaku used to reign; pravekshhyaami= I shall retire to; tapovanam= a hermitage.

“Bereft of my brother and father, I can not return to the deserted city of Ayodhya, where Ikshvaku used to reign. I shall retire to a hermitage.”

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tayoH vilapitam shrutvaa vyasanam ca anvavekSya tat || 2-77-19
bhR^isham aartataraa bhuuyaH sarvaeva anugaaminaH |

19. shrutvaa= hearing; vilapitam= the lamentation; tayoH= of them both; anvavekshhya= and beholding; tat= that; vyasanam= misfortune; sarve= all; anugaaminaH= their companions; bhuuyaH= once again; aarta taraaH= were disturbed; bhR^isham= very much.

Hearing the lamentation of both of them and beholding their plight, all their companions were disturbed very much, once again.

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tataH viSaNNau shraantau ca shatrughna bharataav ubhau || 2-77-20
dharaNyaam samvyaceSTetaam bhagna shR^ingaav iva R^iSabhau |

20. tataH= thereafter; ubhau= both; shatrughna bharatou= Shatrughna and Bharata; shraantoucha= were wearied; vishhaNNou= with grief; samvyaveshTetaam= and began to roll; dharaN^yaam= on the ground;R^ishhabhou iva= like two bulls; bhagnashR^iN^gou= having their horns broken.

Both Shatrughna, and Bharata were wearied with grief and began to roll on the ground, like two bulls whose horns have been broken.

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tataH prakR^itimaan vaidyaH pitur eSaam purohitaH || 2-77-21
vasiSTho bharatam vaakyam utthaapya tam uvaaca ha |

21. tataH= then; vasishhTah=Vasista; prakR^itimaan= a noble natured man; vaidyaH= a family priest; eshhaam= of their; pituH= father; utthaaapya= after raising up; tam= that; bharatam=Bharata; uvaacha ha= spoke; vaakyam= (the following) words.

Then, Vasista, a noble man, a learned man and the family priest of their father, raised up that Bharata from the ground and spoke the following words:

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trayodasho.ayam divasaH piturvR^ittasya te vibho || 2-77-22
saavasheSaasthinicaye kimiha tvam vilambase |

22. vibho= O, lord Bharata! Ayam= this; trayodashaH= is the thirteenth; divasaH= day; vR^ittasya= of the death; te pituH= of your father; kim= why; tvam= are you; vilambase= hanging down; iha= here; saava sheshha asthi nichaye= when the ceremony of collecting the bones is still remaining.

“O, Lord Bharata! This is the thirteenth day of the death of your father. Why are you hanging down here, when the ceremony of collecting the bones is still unfinished?”

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triiNi dvandvaani bhuuteSu pravR^ittaani avisheSataH || 2-77-23
teSu ca aparihaaryeSu na evam bhavitum arhati |

23. triiNi= the three; dvandvaani= pairs of opposites (namely hunger and thirst, joy and sorrow, birth and death) ; pravR^ittaani= occur; bhuuteshhu= living beings; avisheshhataH= without any distinction; teshhu= they; aparihaaryeshhu= being inevitable; naarhasi= you ought not; bhavitum= to behave; evam= like this.

“The three pairs of opposites (namely hunger and thirst, joy and sorrow; birth and death) occur to all living beings without any distinction. They being inevitable, you ought not to behave like this.”

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sumantraH ca api shatrughnam utthaapya abhiprasaadya ca || 2-77-24
shraavayaam aasa tattvaj~naH sarva bhuuta bhava abhavau |

24. sumantrashchaapi= even Sumantra; tattvajN^aH= who knew the truth; utthaapya= raising up; shatrughnam= Satrughna; abhiprasaadyacha= and pacifying him; shraavayaamaasa= told him; sarvabhuuta bhavaabhavam= about the origin and dissolution of all beings.

Even Sumantra, who knew the Truth, raising up Shatrughna and pacifying him, told him about the origin and dissolution of all beings.

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utthitau tau nara vyaaghrau prakaashete yashasvinau || 2-77-25
varSa aatapa pariklinnau pR^ithag indra dhvajaav iva |

25. yashasvinou=the two illustrious; naravyaaghrou= tigers among men; utthitou= who had got up; prakaashete= appeared; pR^ithak indradhvajaaviva= like two banners severally raised in honor of Indra; varshhaatapa pariglaanou= soiled through rain and sun.

The two illustrious tigers among men (Bharata and Satrughna) who had got up, appeared like two banners severally raised in honor of Indra (the god of celestials) soiled through rain and the sun.

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ashruuNi parimR^idnantau rakta akSau diina bhaaSiNau || 2-77-26
amaatyaaH tvarayanti sma tanayau ca aparaaH kriyaaH |

26. amaatyaaH= the ministers; tvarayantisma= hurried up; tanaou= the princes; parimR^idnantou= who were wiping; ashruuNi= their tears; raktaakshhou= their eyes reddened; diina bhaashhiNou= and who were talking pitiably; aparaaH kriyaaH= to expedite the other rites pertaining to the thirteenth day.

The ministers hurried up the princes, who were wiping their tears and who were talking pitiably with their eyes reddened (due to excessive weeping) to expedite the other rites pertaining to the thirteenth day.

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe saptasaptatitamaH sargaH

Thus completes 77th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.